THE TRAGEDY OF A RING

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 September 1927, Page 2

THE TRAGEDY OF A RING

Th 0 story of a queen’s tragic love Is sot in a gold ring which was lately sold by auction at Christie’s. This is the ring which Queen Elizabeth gave to her favourite, the Earl of' Essex, as a token of her love, and is described thus:—‘‘A ring of gold, the back engraved with arabesque foliage,- enamelled blue, the bezel set with a sardonyx cameo of three strata, carved with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth in profile, wearing headdress and lace ruff.” Elizabeth gav e this, her portrait, to Essex with th e promise that if whatsoever crimes his enemies mighthave accused him, or whatever offences he might hav e committed against her. on returning that pledge she would pardon him.” Because of the timidity of a friend Essex went to the scaffold, and the Queen’s heart was broken. Tne Queen had been told by the enemies of Essex that he had declared that her mind was as crooked as her body. The Earl was impeached and sentenced to death. Elizabeth believed that Essex would prove his loyalty by returning the ring. Up till the hour of his execution she hoped against hop e to get it back. But the ring did not come: Essex was sent to the scaffold and, says the old story ,the Queen had no wish but “to sit in the dark, and sometimes with th e shedding of tears, to bewail Essex.”

This is what had happened. Essex had given the ring to his relative the Countess of Nottingham, imploring her to bear it to th e Queen. Her husband discovering his %vife’s intention, forbad e her to do so. He hated Essex and wished his death, and it was only years after, when on her death-bod, that the Countess sent for the Queen and confessed. Elizabeth told the dying woman that God might forgive her but she could not and she returned to her palace, and there “sh e surrendered herself without resistance to th e despair which seized her heart, refused medicine and food, passed days and nights seated on the floor, with fixed eyes and fingers pressed upon her mouth. And in the space of 20 days sh e died.” The ring has descended from the daughter of the Earl of Essex, Lady Frances Devereux. from mother to daughter, in unbroken succession. It came eventually into the possession of Louisa, daughter of John Earl of Granville who married Thomas Thynne, second Viscount Weymouth, great, grandfather of Lord John Thynne, of Haynes, Bedford.